4 ways smart watches can improve your health

When life gets busy, we tend to prioritise work commitments and our usual habits over our wellness and the goals we set – but that doesn’t mean we can’t get back on track.

If you’re looking for a way to stay committed to your health but are needing something to keep you accountable, maybe consider a smart watch - a subtle and albeit stylish way to stay healthy and on top of your goals.

Smart watches are quickly becoming the next big thing in health technology and wellness. For wearers they offer a range of functions to monitor your body and provide access to a goldmine of apps that can encourage us to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

Here are some ways you can use a smart watch to improve both your mental and physical well-being. 

Smart watches help you take a proactive approach to your health. They can help you monitor heart rates, track physical activity and can even analyse sleeping habits all from the comfort of your wrist. 

This personalised data can provide valuable insight about your current state so you can introduce changes and habits that can improve your overall well-being. 

From users who live with chronic conditions to the elderly who may need a helping hand with medications, it’s often vital to follow guidelines and take doses at specific times. While most users do their best to follow their medical schedule, it doesn’t hurt to have a reminder to stay on top of your prescriptions.

Reminders can also be used for appointments or if you’re a carer/ support for someone else.

These notifications can also let you know that it’s time to for a walk or get moving, what time you should be eating and when it’s time to go to bed for a good sleep.

Another health-related feature that’s capturing attention is fall detection. This feature can notify your nominated emergency contact if you fall and remain unresponsive. The smart watch can also send your exact location thanks to inbuilt GPS so it can be used with confidence outside the home. 

Aside from satisfying your appetite, eating healthy has undoubtedly a positive impact on your physical and mental wellbeing. Consuming the correct amount of nutrients and calories can often be confusing and it’s easy to lose focus on what’s being eaten.

Your smart watch teamed with mobile apps can help you stick to your diet by providing features specifically designed for healthy eating. By downloading one of the many apps available you’ll be able to count your calories, meal plan, track and log what’s being eaten and even gain a wealth of dietary information.  

Smart watches can be effective motivators to get exercising. In fact, a recent survey in The Lancet indicated that activity trackers (including smart watches) were effective at increasing physical activity which led to greater weight loss and improved health indicators.

With a variety of fitness and wellness apps available, you’ll easily find a routine that works for you. On your smart watch you’ll also be able to turn on notifications to receive updates on your activity as well as when you’ve been sedentary to support an active lifestyle. 

Smart watches also come with in-built activity tracker (which can be turned off at any point) that can log your movement. Tracking your activity will include how many steps you have taken each day, calories burned, and distance walked. 

The Fitness section in Optus Sport is a great feature for work outs. With multiple classes available including cardio, yoga, Pilates and more – each class is taught by a qualified instructor and even includes different levels of skill sets from beginner, intermediate and advance. 

Both devices can be beneficial to your health and fitness however there’s a key difference between the two. 

A fitness tracker is designed to track your movements and exercise while a smart watch is built to perform similar health tracking but will also keep you connected on the go.*

Plus, with a smart watch you’ll have access to a larger pool of apps, receive notifications from your mobile, have access to downloaded music and podcasts, make and receive both call and texts and can also include a GPS. 

Find out about the other benefits of using a smart watch.

Check out the latest in smart watches to stay on top of your health and add the perfect wearable tech to your wardrobe.

*Number Share requires an eligible Optus mobile plan and compatible phone. T&Cs apply.